Hoenn region locations: ORAS vs RSE

[Boss1991]

Since ORAS added a lot of new areas previously not accessible in Gen III, and also omitted other areas, I was wondering which Hoenn region did you prefer location wise (regardless of graphics).

I tried to make a list of the Generation exclusive areas and expansions areas (only in game, event areas I don't count):

ORAS exclusive/expanded areas:

- 32 Mirage Spot Islands

- 6 Legendary islands

- 3 Secret Base islands

- more Secret Bases than in the originals

- Sea Mauville

- Southern Island (was event exclusive in RSE, in game in ORAS)

- 2 new underwater routes

-Mauville City is vastly expanded

- Victory Road is expanded with 3 new areas.

- Scorched Slab has 3 new floors

- Origin Cave is expanded

- Aqua Hideout is expanded and has extra areas (including Archie's room)

RSE areas not present/simplified in ORAS:
(it's mostly Emerald additions not present/required in a RS remake, but I counted them regardless)

- Trick House has two more levels (8 vs 6)

- Desert Underpass

- Mirage Tower

- Altering Cave

- Abandoned Ship

- Artisan Cave

- two one-visit-only exclusive areas to capture Groudon and Kyogre

- Safari Zone has two more levels unlocked in the post game (4 vs 6)

- Mt Pyre has two more floors

- New Mauville is bigger/more complicated to explore

- Mirage Island



* The Battle Frontier vs Battle Resort I put apart, as I don't want people arguing over which one is better feature wise. The thread is about region design, not features, so just discuss the Frontier Island and Resort island, not the number of Battle Facilities on them.

So which version of Hoenn do you prefer design wise/exploration wise?

Which version of Hoenn has better exclusive areas and expansions in your opinion?

Also, do you think the locations missing in ORAS, should have been added in ORAS, or do you think the remakes didn't need them and are even better off without them?

 

[brilly]

I prefer ORAS location. I missed the desert/mirage tower and abandoned ship. But it's a shame that Battle Frontier wasn't there. In the DP remake, i hope to see Battle Frontier. The rest I dont care and don't think it's too important.

 

[LizardonX]

Mostly the new areas, however I hated lumiose city in XY and I don't like mauville for similar reasons.

 

[Alexander18]

It is hard to say. I like the Marine Cave and Terra Cave with both Kyogre and Groudon. I also like Desert Underpass, Battle Frontier, Mirage Tower and Artisan Cave. For ORAS, I like Southern Island, Mirage Spots, Mauville upgraded and Sea Mauville.

 

[Boss1991]

I definitely prefer the ORAS Hoenn locations.

And about a few of the RSE locations people wanted in ORAS, I think some of them were left out for a logical reason:

- Altering Cave was an event Cave that never got the event distributed in gen III, so there was no reason to have it in ORAS.

- The Safari Zone expansion from Emerald was probably not needed since they wanted us to use the Dex Nav to get those Pokemon instead.

- Artisan Cave was kinda random, and doesn't fit Hoenn at all. Actually, seeing how Game Freak honored Kalos in ORAS, I am surprised they didn't include Artisan Cave, which is very "french" in nature. But I'm glad they didn't include it. It fits Kalos much better, theme wise.

- Mirage Island was upgraded in Mirage Spots

Same with most of the RSE areas not present in ORAS.

 

[Wulava]

Obviously, ORAS' Hoenn is better since evrything's got a major graphic overhaul. Even the map-design and layouts are updated and expanded.

The Trick House could've been better if there were post-game levels though.


Anyway, for the places absent in ORAS...

The original purpose of the Mirage Tower and Desert Underpass was just to collect the fossils (and to catch a Ditto at the latter). Since fossils can be excavated through Rock Smash in Mirage Spots, this place can be ignored.

The Altering Cave primarily served as a location for catching National Dex Pokemon for FRLG. But these Pokemon can also be caught at Emerald's Safari Zone (and Artisan Cave for Smeargle). The Mirage Spots serves as a substitute, and the DexNav provides us with even more Pokemon. This place can be ignored.

Abadoned Ship and Sea Mauville are practically the same. The latter just given a better history.

COnsidering Kyogre and Groudon being exclusive to their respective versions, it is pointless to put Terra and Marine Cave in the game.


I don't wanna talk about the Frontier.

 

[Bananarama]

I like the original locations because of nostalgia, but I'd say that I prefer the newer additions from ORAS. I was pretty disappointed that some of the old locations weren't present in ORAS, but the games made up for it with the additions to the older areas. If I have any nitpicks with the new ORAS locations, though, I'd say that I dislike the new Mauville City design. It became too large and complicated, in my opinion.

 

[Mega Altaria]

I don't have anything against the new ORAS locations, they were good. But due to nostalgia, I was disappointed that Artisan Cave, Mirage Tower, Desert Underpass and Mirage Island (RSE) didn't make it.

 

[Mrs. Oreo]

I liked the upgrades to some Hoenn places in Or/As including the garden in Sootopolis city's lake center and the new look of Mauville city. I just wish places like Lilycove had changed alot more between RS and the remakes. ^^

 

[Boss1991]

I don't have anything against the new ORAS locations, they were good. But due to nostalgia, I was disappointed that Artisan Cave, Mirage Tower, Desert Underpass and Mirage Island (RSE) didn't make it.

I liked the upgrades to some Hoenn places in Or/As including the garden in Sootopolis city's lake center and the new look of Mauville city. I just wish places like Lilycove had changed alot more between RS and the remakes. ^^

I find it interesting how one of you wanted more nostalgia and the other one wanted more change in the locations. It kinda shows that ORAS just couldn't have satisfied everyone because some people wanted one thing and the others wanted the opposite xD

 

[Emperor Empoleon]

Most of this I could take or leave in either game, but there's three changes in particular that tip the scale in favor of the older games with me.

The first being the Magma Hideout! In Emerald, Team Magma searched for Groudon on Hoenn's Western coast, where most of their precious landmass happens to be, inside of a massive volcanic dungeon. Meanwhile Team Aqua takes to the East with their infamous water Routes, seashore hideout, and stolen submersible to look for Kyogre at the bottom of the ocean. It just made so much more sense to split things up that way! Plus, we got a different dungeon for each Team instead of just a palette swap depending on your game.

I also didn't like the new Safari Zone, because its really convoluted, and feels unnatural compared to the original divisions. I think it's harder to navigate than it really ought to be.

Not a fan of the Resort Island either. The idea of a Resort does suit the tropical Hoenn Region well enough, but the grandeur of the Frontier's island is lost. Conceptually it's a-lot less memorable to me.

I guess the one map/design that I absolutely prefer in ORAS is the new Sky Pillar. Its significantly less maddening, and visually stunning.

 

[Alexander18]

Most of this I could take or leave in either game, but there's three changes in particular that tip the scale in favor of the older games with me.

The first being the Magma Hideout! In Emerald, Team Magma searched for Groudon on Hoenn's Western coast, where most of their precious landmass happens to be, inside of a massive volcanic dungeon. Meanwhile Team Aqua takes to the East with their infamous water Routes, seashore hideout, and stolen submersible to look for Kyogre at the bottom of the ocean. It just made so much more sense to split things up that way! Plus, we got a different dungeon for each Team instead of just a palette swap depending on your game.

I also didn't like the new Safari Zone, because its really convoluted, and feels unnatural compared to the original divisions. I think it's harder to navigate than it really ought to be.

Agreed about Team Magma base. It made more sense for it to be Jagged Pass. I like the new Safari zone though. No more limited steps and 30 safari balls that may or may not catch a pokemon.

 

[Mega Altaria]

I find it interesting how one of you wanted more nostalgia and the other one wanted more change in the locations. It kinda shows that ORAS just couldn't have satisfied everyone because some people wanted one thing and the others wanted the opposite xD

You know, I really miss Artisan Cave because of the Smeargle that appeared in there and I never got the opportunity to catch one in ORAS. And RSE Mirage Island because there was some Liechi Berry plant there and the Wynaut encounters were nice, too. And I really miss the Battle Frontier too ;-;

 

[Cutty]

I kinda wanted the Battle Frontier back for the nostalgia, but the Battle Maison is better for 6th Gen trademark.
I always can play my HG/SS or old R/S/E again if I wanted have fun in the Battle Frontier.

 

[Boss1991]

You know, I really miss Artisan Cave because of the Smeargle that appeared in there and I never got the opportunity to catch one in ORAS. And RSE Mirage Island because there was some Liechi Berry plant there and the Wynaut encounters were nice, too. And I really miss the Battle Frontier too ;-;

I understand you. That's just nostalgia though xD But nostalgia apart, I think those places would just feel unfitting and redundant in ORAS, and this is the reason they were substituted for better locations. Even the Battle Frontier. The Battle Resort looks so much more fitting for Hoenn (not talking about the Battle Facilities, but the designs of the islands) Just my opinion

I kinda wanted the Battle Frontier back for the nostalgia, but the Battle Maison is better for 6th Gen trademark.
I always can play my HG/SS or old R/S/E again if I wanted have fun in the Battle Frontier.

I agree, The Battle Maison is more appropriate for gen VI. The Frontier has more variety, but the Maison has more flexibility.

 

[Mrs. Oreo]

I find it interesting how one of you wanted more nostalgia and the other one wanted more change in the locations. It kinda shows that ORAS just couldn't have satisfied everyone because some people wanted one thing and the others wanted the opposite xD

Yea everyone had different desires although I didn't mean to nitpick too much ha ha. I guess I simply expected more upgrades given the 3DS's graphics but I wasn't too impressed overall.

 

[Boss1991]

Yea everyone had different desires although I didn't mean to nitpick too much ha ha. I guess I simply expected more upgrades given the 3DS's graphics but I wasn't too impressed overall.

I understand you, but since ORAS is a remake after all, it can't change too many locations from the originals, or people will start complaining it is not like their beloved original and doesn't bring them enough nostalgia. xD

 

[Enjolras]

The updated graphics in ORAS were stunning. I didn't even mind them revamping Mauville, because it filled the need for metropolis like hub with all the services. The only thing I preferred from the original games was New Mauville being much larger( and a whole battle frontier, but thats beside the point).

 

[Kalosian]

Overall, I like the new areas added in OR/AS, and I don't really mind the fact that some of the locations from the originals are missing. I was a bit bummed at it originally, but I have gotten over it now. For the most part, the new areas are enough to make up for the older ones. Most of the areas from the originals (apart from the Battle Frontier and the Safari Zone expansion) were rather small anyway, and I don't mind them being absent in OR/AS. I was initially unhappy about the Battle Frontier not being in OR/AS, but I have gotten over it with time, the Battle Resort is good enough. Plus, I'd rather never see the Battle Frontier return if they are just going to ruin it again. It is not like the old areas are missing anyways, if I want to go back to them, I can play the original Hoenn games instead. And if I want to play in the Battle Frontier, I can simply play Emerald or Platinum instead of OR/AS. As for which version of Hoenn I prefer, that's difficult. I have to say they are about even in my eyes, I don't really like one of them better than the other.

 

[Mrs. Oreo]

it can't change too many locations from the originals, or people will start complaining it is not like their beloved original and doesn't bring them enough nostalgia. xD

I actually saw this for months just cuz Emerald's locations got scrapped even tho it seemed obvious to me that these games would focus on RS elements. ^^;